Steering-post-positioning means



C. P. STANBU'N.

sTEEmNG Posr PoslTloNlNG MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6| 1918.

1,383, 348. l Patented July 5,1921;

Iii/vena? Uha'esl? Sia/n on.

UNITED STATE sA PATENT( oFFlca.

GHALRLLES IP. ST-ANBON, F LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

STEERING-1?OST-POSITONING MEANS.

`To all 'Lv/wm t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES P. STANBON,

i a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Lynn, lcounty of Essex, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Steering-PostPositioning Means, of which the following description, 'in cone nection with the accompanying, drawings, is

` proved steering a specification, like characters on theI drawio' ings representing'vlike parts.

This invention relates to a novel and 1mpost control for motor vehicles, adapted to neutralize the tendency of obstructions in the road to throw the steering wheel in one direction or the other with the consequent danger of losing control of the car, and adapted also to Vassist in returning the steering post to normal neutral position after it has been turned from neutral positionin the usual operation of the car.

In the drawings illustrating the particular embodiment of my invention described herein, l

Figure l is `a side elevation showing the mechanism as applied to a conventional steering post. u

Fig. 2, a side elevation of the mechanism.

Fig. 3, a plan and partly sectional view of the'mechanism.

My novel steering post illustrated embodiment of my novel tension and controlling means is designed to exercisea more or less constant pressure upon the steering post to return the same to normal position, and in this way assists the driver in steering the car.

Referring to Figs. l, 2, it will be seen that the tension means comprises brackets 37, 33, clamped at a convenient point to the steering column or casing 36, by screws 39. The clamping members are extended forwardly and support between them by means of a screw 40 the tension member frame or springs 48, 49, see dotted lines Fig. 3, which are coiled in opposite directions about and secured at their inner ends to the pin 40.

` To the outer ends of the springs 48, 49 are connected cords 50, 51, the opposite ends of which are secured in eyes 52, on spring barrels or tension posts 53, carried respectively by rings 54, 55, (Fig. 2) between the Specification of Letters Patent.

' its normal and clamps 37, 38 and on'the steering post34. Each barrel 53 carries a tension pin 56 withinit, about which is a coiled spring'?, seated at one end against a flange 58 on the p1n, and at its opposite end against an ad- Patented July 5, 1921. Application filed April 6, 1918/. Serial No. 227,117.

j usting screw plug 59threadedinto the outer end of the barrel53. y v

` By this means any required adjustment of the spring 57 may be. readily obtained. In order that the increased tension maybe applied to the post-34 as `it is turned by the engagement of the `pin 56 therewith, I have conceived the novel construction shown and which is as follows. Each pin 56 is positioned normally vatthe inner end of a camA shaped slot 60, beginning at the longitudinal center line ofthe rod at its rear face and gradually increasing in depth toward its front end, the length of the slot being ap,- proximately one-quarterof the circumferfy this position ofthe pins (as shown in Fig.`2) each spring exerts the same tension yupon its own side of the post. y

As the post 35 is turned in naturally the tension of the spring engaging the post on that side of the `rod is increased,A in proportion to the extent of the rotation of the post, and this tension tends at al1 times to return the post 34 to its normall position, the opposite'tension member however, exerting less pressure .owingto the rotation of its tension post permitting it to wind up, and of course when the vsteering rod is turned back by the driver to normal position the winding up action of the spring or tension member assists in such operation. Should the steering post be turned more than a quarter turn, thus bringing the forward wheels at approximately right angles to the car, the pin 56 will be, bythe cam surface 6l, automatically released from the either direction,y

post 34, and the tension thereon released as,

the post 53 returns freely to normal position;

By the foregoing construction it will be noted that the springs never act in opposition to each other, each acting only when its pin 56 is moved from its normal position and the action is then directed to returning the pin andpost to their original positions.

A reasonable amount of tension on these springs will cause them to assist the post 34 at all times to resist any inclination itmay have to be turned one way or the other by coming in contact with a stone or other obstruction in the road, The @Cton of the '5 posts `on' Vmember en the column comprising a sion posts two springs always tends to retain the forward wheels in longitudinalalinement with the chassis. Y

It will be obvious that my novel steering post controlling means as described may be modified in many detailedy particulars without departing from the' spirit of the invention and the scope oi the appended claims.y

y While I have herein described and illus trated lonefo-rm of my invention, it is not however, limited to the precise Vconstruction shown.'

'u Claims: a

1. 'In steering post 'positioning means a steering column, a` steering post, a tension frame', resillient'-inemberstherein, tension posts on the steering' post connectedwith the resilient members, tension pinsonsaid tension posts, tension membersiior the pins, operative connectionsbetweenthetension pins and steer-y ingpost to cause thelatter to move the ten* with, 'increasing tension on the steering 'post' relativeto the degree of turn-Y ing ofthe latter," l

i (2.1n'steering post positioning means a steering 1' column, Y a steering post, tension `the latter radially positioned, ten-v sion members on the column operatively connected with the tensionposts and normally eective in opposite directions, one tension member Vyielding its effectiveness while the opposite member increases itsgeiectiveness as thefsteering post "is turned. ,Y Y

3. 1n steering post lpositioning means a steering 'colummfa steeringV post, tension posts on the steering post, each `having limited moveinent :in'ofne vdirection and unlimited movement in the' opposite direction,ten sion ymembers on thesteering column to move thetension post from itsnormalposition and connected with the steering post, and acting with -relatively increasing effect as the steering r*post is turned to move the-tension post awayirom its tension'member, and connections between the steering. post and tension posts? wherebythe latter lare automatically freed from connection with the former at a given point in,rotation-yoi1V the steering post.

v L i.'l`eI`1fsion mechanism for a steering post Vcornp'rising'a frame ,adapted to be mounted on the steering column, resilient members 5th'ereon',"tension posts connected to the resteering post silient me bers and adapted on j the'steering post, tension pins on` said posts, tension memb tive connections between the tension pins and to Ycause the latter to move the tension posts to exert increasing tension on thefs'teering post and tension posts relative tothe degree of rotation'of the steering post.

` 5; 4In steering post sion pins in to be mounted ers'ior the pins, operaf.

positioning means ten- A nsion mechanism comprising a frame adapted 1 to bemountedonthefsteering columma drum in the frame, resilient members within thel drum and secured therein., tension'posts on the steering column connected with the resilientmembers, tension pin receiving means in the steering post, tension pins in the tension posts and received by said receiving means to travel therein and to be actuated thereby during a portion oi the vmovement of the steering post,to increasev the action of the resilient me v bers on the tension and steering posts to'retur-n V the same tonormal position, and tension means tion.

' c 6;" Steering 'post' positioning, means cojinprising brackets' Vadapted tof be 'mounted on the steering column, a sitely4 operated resilient membersI onV 'the steering post Vin normal position, `tension meansin Vthe steering post,'ten the tension posts and said repin ,receiving frame thereon,' oppo ,withinithe tenf sionV poststo retain the pins in normal posif,

vtrame,adapted to be withdrawn'thereirom in ceiving means, yielding means in. thev tension 'i posts for retaining the pins in the pin re-` Y ceiving-ineans in ,nor-mal position, the `pins adapted to Vride out ofthe/receiving means and upon the post upon rotation ofthe latter. n f v- 7. Steering post positioning means' comprising the steering column, a steering post, tension posts on the latter, a fram@ on the column, tension members on ,the framejconnected each to a tension post,`.tension pin.

slots in the steering post havingeach a cam surfaced bottom, tension pins in the tension posts underpressure and extended into said slots, adapted to rideon said cam sur- Jfaces as the steering .post is turned and Vtension cumulatively applied to the steering post as it is turnedin opposite directions.

8. In steering post positioning means thel column 27 having the frame Ill thereon, coiled tension memberseS, 49, in the frame and operativein opposite directions, tension posts 52 on the steering post andV connected tothemembers 48, 49, tension pins'56 in the posts, slots 60 inthe post 34 receiving the inner ends of the pins 56, springs 57 acting4 tofi'force inwardly the pins 56, whereby as the post Mis turnedl in opposite directions the tension members 48,.4C9,'will alternately act to a y,cumulative degree Ato resist saidA turn" ing movement, and tend toV return the post to normal position. n A

Y CHARLES P. S'li-LNBON.`v

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent N o. 1,383,348, granted July 5, 1921, upon the application of Charles P.Stanboi1,of Lynn, Massaehusetts,for an improvement in Steering-P0st-Positionng Means, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 114, claim 8, for the reference numeral "52 read 53,' and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the oase in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 6th day of September, A. D., 1921.

[SEAL] l KARL FENNING,

A'ett'ng Commissioner of Patents. Ul. 74-39. 

